Electric heating pad and vibrator



Sept. 2,1958 R. A. MOELWEE ELECTRIC HEATING PAD AND VIBRATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 25, 1956 INVENTOR. RUSSELL A. ITCELWEE 7 AT TURAEY 7 Sept. 2', v1958 R. A. MOELWEE 2,850,009

ELECTRIC HEATING PAD AND VIBRATOR Filed Jan. 25, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmvroa RUSSELL Av McELwEE ATTORNEY Unite The present invention, summarized briefly, is an .im-

,provement in electric therapeutic apparatus of the .type .wherein .a heating pad is combined with a vibrator.

. Animportant object is to provide a device of this type .wllich will improve upon devices previously conceived for similar purposes, by reason of its adaptability to. permit insertion or removal of aconventional heating pad, v[thus to permit .the gentle vibratory action of the device .to .takeplace either simultaneously with the application .ofheat toaselected area of the body, or alternatively, ..without the application of such heat.

,.Another.object is to provide a vibrating device of the type referred to wherein the vibratory action is trans- ..mittedto spaced, open ribs or frames, so designed ;as to .confine a heating pad between them, so that a ,conventional heating pad so confined will be vibrated gently ;.,together with the remaining portions of the apparatus.

.Another object is to provide a device as stated which will be of simple design, will be capable of manufacture -.at .low cost, will be adapted to transmit either vibratory motiontalone, or vibration with accompanying .heat to. a

Substantialarea of the body without the necessity of ,manually applying a hand vibrator, and will be attrac- .tively and inexpensively designed.

.For .further comprehension of theinvention, and ,of

the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be'had ,to the following description-andaccompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth. In the accompanying drawings forming a-material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of "therapeutic apparatus formed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal :sectional view on line.2-2:of Fig. 1, portions being broken away.

'iFig. 3.1is a fragmentary sectionon line 3-.3ofi'Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view, still further enlarged, of

the motor cover.

Fig. Sis a-view on the same scale as 2 =jshowing the device in plan, portions being'broken awayandother "portions "being *shown in section.

Fig. 6 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of the frame means per se.

The device 10 constituting the present invention includes a cover or envelope 12 preferably formed of a quilted or otherwise padded material, and exteriorly colored or otherwise ornamentally decorated to improve the outer appearance thereof.

Outer covering 12 is progressively increased in depth from one to the other end thereof, and said other end is adapted to be normally closed by a slide fastener means 14 extending continuously through the full transverse dimension of the covering, and extending along opposite sides of the covering to a location short of the midlength point thereof. Thus, on opening of the fastener means 14, the covering can be fully opened at one end and along a portion of the sides thereof adjacent said end, to permit insertion on removal of the interior parts of the device.

rates Patent F 2,850,009 Patented Sept. 2,1958

2 .A pair .oftrausversely extending tpockets 16 (Figs. 2 and. 3.) are secured to the inner .surfacesof the top and bottom portions of the covering, adjacent .the -ends,of

,the side fastener means 14, and are stitchedto thecoveringby transverse and longitudinally extending linesof stitching 18, .20 respectively. .Thepockets open -in:the direction of the larger end-of the covering, and are dis- ..Posed adjacent a conventional motor 22 extending through .almostthe full transverse dimension ofthe covering,.said .motorbeing of the A. C. magnetic vibrator type.

I .gaged inthep0ckets16.

Motor 22, medially between its ends, has a shortprojectionv26aextending longitudinally and centrally of the jclevice toward the smaller end thereof, said projection being integrally formed with a threaded, reduced axial ,extension 28.

A vibratory framegenerally designated is provided at one end with a short arm or stem 32 having an axial,

threaded recess receiving the extension 28. The arm 32 ..isfiXedly secured to the midlength portion of a crossbar .134 .(see Fig. 6), extending in parallelism with the motor,

,andterminating at its ends short distances inwardlyfrom ,the respective side walls of theouter covering.

Secured-to thecrossbar 34, adjacent the top and hottomedges thereof, are large, rectangular, planiforrn grids.

These are disposedinparallelvplanes normal to thelength ,of the .crossbar 34. Thegri'dsfill a substantial portion of the interionofthe outer covering as shown in1Fig.:5, extending at their free ends to locations spaced inwardly I including uniformlyspaced, parallel, straight longitudinal rods. 36. To the undersides of the rods 36 there are welded or otherwise secured crossrods 38, also spaced ,apart uniformly. The cross rods '38 are extended in parallel relation to the crossbar'34.

The lower grid includes glongitudinal me rnbers Q40 aligned Withmembers'36, and cross ,rods 42 secured to members 40 in thesame manner asthe rods 38 are -se- .cured to the rods 36.

Removablyzcovering the respective grids are rectangular-envelopes 44, 46 of canvas or similar material, open at one end to receive the grids. and enclosing the grids for substantially the full areas of said grids.

An.electric cord 48 extends from'the motor 22,.through an opening formed in 'the'adjacent side wall of the outer covering 12, and intermediate its ends is provided with a ,switch50. At its freeend,[thecord is provided with'an electric plug 52 capable of -b'eing-engaged-in a conventional-recepta'cle,nottshown. a

The construction illustrated and described defines between the respective grids a space 54 between the inner, confronting faces of the envelopes 44, 46. The space 54 is open at its sides and also is open at the end adjacent the smaller end of the outer covering, and by reason of the construction illustrated, whenever one desires to insert a conventional heating pad, not shown, in the outer covering, said heating pad can be inserted in the space 54 and will be lightly clamped by the grids of the frame 30.

In use of the device, and assuming that it is to be used as a vibrator only, on energizing of the motor the frame 30 will be vibrated, causing corresponding vibration of the grids so that over the full area of the article there is a light vibratory action, adapted to have desirable effects on the particular area of the body to which it is applied.

When the device is to be used as a combination vibrator and heating pad, one opens the outer covering, and removes the motor and the motor holder 24. This of course results in withdrawal of the frame and the envelopes 44, 46. The heating pad is now inserted between the grids, and the device is reinserted. The conducting cord for the heating pad may pass out through the end of the opening in the covering. Now, with both the motor and the heating pad energized through power supplied through their respective cords, a combination vibratory and heating action is obtained. The entire heating pad is now vibrated, due to its being lightly engaged between the vibratory grids. As will be appreciated, the vibratory action is not impaired by insertion of the heating pad, said vibratory action occurring over substantially the full area of the device with the heat also being transmitted over a substantial part of the area of the apparatus.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 1. A combined vibrator and heating pad holder, comprising an outer covering operable at one end, a vibratory motor removably mounted therein, means to hold the motor in place within the covering, a flat frame connected to the motor and radiating centrally therefrom for vibration thereby and removably supporting a heating pad, and envelope means enclosing the frame, said motor holding means including a holder loosely receiving themotor and having ends extending adjacent opposite walls of the covering, said holder means further including pocket members on the covering receiving said ends of the holder, said pocket members each extending substantially the full distance across the width of the covering and being secured to the inner surface of said opposite walls of the covering, the pocket members opening toward said open end of the covering.

2. A combined vibrator and heating pad holder, comprising an outer cover operable at one end, a vibratory motor removably mounted therein, means to hold the motor in place within the covering, a fiat frame connected to the motor and radiating centrally therefrom for vibration thereby and removably supporting a heating pad, and envelope means enclosing the frame, said motor holding means including a holder loosely receiving the motor and having ends extending adjacent opposite walls of the covering, said holder means further including pocket members on the covering receiving said ends of the holder, said pocket members each extending substantially the full distance across the width of the covering and being secured to the inner surface of said opposite walls of the covering, the pocket members opening toward said open end of the covering, the holder being of generally C-shaped cross section with the motor loosely engaging against the bight part thereof and with said ends of the holder being formed as legs loosely engaging in the respective pockets.

3. A combined vibrator and heating pad holder, comprising an outer covering, a vibratory motor therein, means to hold the motor in place within the covering, a frame connected to the motor for vibration thereby and supporting a heating pad, and envelope means enclosing the frame, said frame being of generally rectangular configuration and including a space over substantially its full area for receiving said heating pad, the frame including a crossbar extending transversely of the covering and grids secured at one end to the crossbar and terminating at their other ends in closely spaced relation to the other end of the covering.

4. A combined vibrator and heating pad holder, comprising an outer covering, a vibratory motor therein, means to hold the motor in place within the covering, a frame connected to the motor for vibration thereby and supporting a heating pad, and envelope means enclosing the frame, said frame being of generally rectangular configuration and including a space over sub stantially its full area for receiving said heating pad, the frame including a crossbar extending transversely of the covering and grids secured at one end to the crossbar and terminating at their other ends in closely spaced relation to the other end of the covering, said grids being of an open mesh construction and extending in parallel planes.

5. A combined vibrator and heating pad motor, comprising an outer covering, a vibratory motor therein, means to hold the motor in place within the covering, a frame connected to the motor for vibration thereby and supporting a heating pad, and envelope means enclosing the frame, said frame being of generally rectangular configuration and including a space over substantially its full area for receiving said heating pad, the frame including a crossbar extending transversely of the covering and grids secured at one end to the crossbar and terminating at their other ends in closely spaced relation to the other end of the covering, said grids being of an open mesh construction and extending in parallel planes, said envelope means comprising fabric envelopes enclosing the respective grids over substantially their full areas.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,097,455 Fisher Nov. 2, 1937 2,345,438 Tompkins Mar. 28, 1944 2,779,328 Grossi Jan. 29, 1957 2,800,897 Ross July 30, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 489,471 Canada Jan. 6, 1953 1,057,283 France Mar. 8, 1954 62,167 France June 10, 1955 

